How to eat for a long and happy life I was recently reminded of Japan’s high longevity rate when I came across a headline in The Japan Times: “Centenarians top 80,000 for first time.” According to information released by Japan’s health ministry in July, Japan’s average life expectancy was 87.45 for women and 81.41 for […]
happiness
To Eat Healthfully for Life, Eat with Your Principles
If you’ve ever looked up a dieting trend, you’ve probably fallen into an endless black hole back-and-forth discussion of robot questions and robot answers, on how to best adopt a healthy lifestyle. Frequently, discussions that look like this: What time is the best time for us to eat? — You should eat when your body […]
How To Bake With Friends When You’re Miles Apart
Illustrations by Kaki Okumura (*No Zoom calls are required) It’s been about 4 months since my friend and I baked together. In April I left the United States to be with my family, and she flew back to California to be with hers. But when we still lived on campus together, we would often meet […]
How to Make the Softest, Most Comforting Oyakodon
Cooking through my first year away from home When I moved from Japan to go to college in the U.S., I was excited to start my new adventure and to meet new people. Going to orientation and participating in events, somewhere I thought I would quickly find a group of friends and feel instantly at […]
I Tried Making the Trending Pancake Cereal
It reminded me that sometimes happy is healthier It was a rare Mother’s Day for our family, because usually this time of year I wouldn’t be able to celebrate it with my parents. But because I was home this year, my little sister and I decided to do something a little special for my mom. […]
Who Do I Want To Be in Times of Crisis
The way communities have shown support for one another still never ceases to amaze me. I was on an early morning walk with my younger sister when we passed by one of our local stores, and they had this posted up on the window: It’s really a small gesture, but when you think about the […]
The Taste of Spring, My Fondness for Sakura-mochi
What is Sakura-mochi? Sakura-mochi is a type of wagashi, or Japanese confectionery, made with sweet azuki bean paste wrapped in sticky pink mochi rice and a salted sakura leaf. Unlike traditional wagashi desserts, sakura-mochi has a slightly herbal aroma to it, and the salty-sweetness from the leaves is said to pair well with sake. The […]
